Ball State University Athletics
Friday, March 20
Muncie, Ind.
1 pm
Ball State University
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vs
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Western Michigan University
Ball State Men’s Tennis Displays Resilience in Hard-Fought MAC Battle Against Western Michigan
March 20, 2026 | Men's Tennis
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State men's tennis team (8-8, 3-2 MAC) brought a competitive energy to Friday's match against Mid-American Conference rival Western Michigan (10-9, 3-2 MAC) at the Foster Adams and Bill Richards courts but ultimately suffered a 7-0 shutout.
The afternoon was highlighted by a high-energy atmosphere as the Cardinals competed outdoors for the first time this spring. Despite the setback, Ball State remains a formidable contender in a wide-open MAC race, building on the momentum of back-to-back 4-3 victories over Northern Illinois and UIC earlier this month.
"We are taking it one match at a time and focusing on getting better every day," Ball State head men's tennis coach Gene Orlando said prior to the match. "That developmental focus was evident as the roster battled for every point against a strong Western Michigan squad."
The Cardinals lost the doubles point, though things looked bright at the top court where Jack Lancaster and Broc Fletcher held a 5-3 lead before their match was cut short.
Western Michigan maintained its momentum by sweeping all six singles matches against Ball State. While the Cardinals forced three-set battles at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, they ultimately came up short. At the No. 6 position, Fletcher provided a final spark by taking the first set from Jack Davison 7-6 (4) but was unable to secure the win after falling in a decisive second-set tiebreaker.
The Ball State Cardinals men's tennis team is scheduled to return home on Thursday, March 26, 2026, for a match against Toledo at 1 p.m. ET. The team will then conclude its home schedule for the season on Saturday, March 28, 2026, with a match against Buffalo at 1 p.m. ET, which will also serve as the program's Senior Day celebration.
The afternoon was highlighted by a high-energy atmosphere as the Cardinals competed outdoors for the first time this spring. Despite the setback, Ball State remains a formidable contender in a wide-open MAC race, building on the momentum of back-to-back 4-3 victories over Northern Illinois and UIC earlier this month.
"We are taking it one match at a time and focusing on getting better every day," Ball State head men's tennis coach Gene Orlando said prior to the match. "That developmental focus was evident as the roster battled for every point against a strong Western Michigan squad."
The Cardinals lost the doubles point, though things looked bright at the top court where Jack Lancaster and Broc Fletcher held a 5-3 lead before their match was cut short.
Western Michigan maintained its momentum by sweeping all six singles matches against Ball State. While the Cardinals forced three-set battles at the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, they ultimately came up short. At the No. 6 position, Fletcher provided a final spark by taking the first set from Jack Davison 7-6 (4) but was unable to secure the win after falling in a decisive second-set tiebreaker.
The Ball State Cardinals men's tennis team is scheduled to return home on Thursday, March 26, 2026, for a match against Toledo at 1 p.m. ET. The team will then conclude its home schedule for the season on Saturday, March 28, 2026, with a match against Buffalo at 1 p.m. ET, which will also serve as the program's Senior Day celebration.
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
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